Multipart closure for filling and discharging openings for containers



Aug. 30, 1966 w. HAMMES 3,269,575

MULTIPART CLOSURE FOR FILLING AND DISCHARGING OPENINGS FOR CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 17, 1965 United States Patent 3 Claims. (Cl. 215-41 The present invention relates to a multipart closure member of synthetic material for filling and discharging openings for containers such as cans and bottles.

More specifically, the invention relates to a closure member defined by an interconnected annular collar, lid or cover and a safety ring, with the annular collar being capable of attachment to an upstanding neck providing the filling and discharging opening and engageable with a groove-like component provided rearw-ardly of an annular projection of the neck with the lid in its closed position engaging the annular collar for sealing the opening and the safety ring coacting with the neck and the annular collar for locking the closure to the neck.

It is advantageous with such closures to be able to again close the filling or discharging opening after a partial dispensing of the container contents. However, difliculties arise in the case of containers which at the same time are designed so as to prevent an unauthorized dispensing of the contents during transportation of the container from the supplier to the customer for use or during storage of such container. The safety means heretofore employed have either included an additional sealing cap and lead seal wires or weldings for making the original closure member secure. The execution of the necessary Operative steps therefore necessitates additional automatic machinery and a longer time cycle for the production of the container.

It is an object of the invention to provide a one-piece safety closure member which can be positioned directly upon the components constituting the container opening as a complete original closure member.

According to the invention, the above and other advantageous objects are accomplished by providing the lid or cover on the side thereof opposite to the hinge strip which connects the lid to the annular collar with a second strip connected to the sealing ring and which sealing ring constitutes the sealing means for the lid after the sealing ring is swung about its strip for engagement beneath the annular collar and with the neck for locking the assembly in place.

The connected components of the present closure member are assembled into a self-contained closure unit and can be stacked in the closure apparatus for immediate use. This simple and positive sealing arrangement is rendered practical by the two-part design of the holding means for the lid, namely, the annular collar and the safety ring which are assembled into a unitary closure and locked against one another.

To facilitate the positioning of the closure member upon the neck of the container with a simultaneous centering during the closing operation :and to realize additionally a tightening of the safety ring against the annular collar, it is necessary to provide a substantially stepless transition of .the contours of the closure into the outer contours of the neck thereby eliminating any likelihood of providing a wedging area by means of which the closure could be forced open, and this is achieved in the present invention by causing a tapered inner face of the safety ring to lie against a complementary inclined surface on the neck adjoining the upper annular projection whereby the annular face of the neck which abuts such face is aligned with the outer contour of the safety ring.

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In order to permit the detachment of the sealing ring without the use of a tool, the transition from the sealing ring to the rim of the lid is narrowed to provide a breaking point area with tongues project-ing radially outward beyond the rim of the lid at both sides of such breaking point area, and such tongues serve to protect the weakest portion of the strip against mechanical influences such as during the transportation of the filled container or of the closure means per se.

Further objects and advantages of the invent-ion will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description and annexed drawings, in which drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view partly in cross section and partly in elevation of a closure member secured to the neck defining the opening of the container,

FIGURE 2 is a view in side elevation of the interconnected components constituting the closure member in the opened condition and with the swinging movements for assembling the closure being indicated in dot-dash lines, and

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the closure shown in FIGURE 2.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a container body 1 of synthetic material is provided with a filling opening 2 in its top wall 3 and such opening is adapted to be closed by a closure member denoted generally 4.

To form the filling opening the top wall 3 is provided with an upstanding neck 5, an outwardly extending annular face 6, an inwardly inclined support surface 7, a second outwardly extending annular face 8, a second inwardly inclined surface 9 and a vertical portion 10 merging with the upper end of the surface 9. It can be seen that the outwardly extending annular faces and inclined surfaces provide a unit which is of substantial saw tooth configuration in cross section.

Referring to FIGURES 2 and 3, it will be seen that the closure member 4 comprises an annular collar 11, a lid or cover 12 and a safety ring 13. The annular collar 11 and the lid 12 are interconnected by means of a hinge strip 14 and the lid 12 and sealing ring 13 are interconnected by a seal strip 15.

On the inside of the lid 12 are positioned the customary clamping and sealing means with which the lid is placed upon the upper end of the annular collar 11 and made fast thereto. Prior to placing the closure member upon the neck of the container the lid 12 is swung about the hinge strip 14 in the direction shown by the dot-dash line and is clamped upon the collar 11. The safety ring 13 is then swung about the strip 15 and is inserted into the collar 22 from beneath the collar with a conical surface 16 engaging a complementary conical surface provided on the annular collar 11. Thus, it will be readily appreciated that all of the components of the closure member are interlocked with one another and constitute a locked closure unit.

In the locked condition as shown in FIGURE 1, the annular collar 11 engages the surface of the neck and the conical inner surface of the safety ring 13 abuts the inclined support surface 7 which adjoins the outwardly extending annular face 8 and is additionally tensioned against the annular collar 11. The annular face 6 of the neck which adjoins the support face 7 is in alignment with the outer contour of the safety ring 13 thereby providing a substantially stepless transition between the closure member and the neck of the container body.

As best shown in FIGURE 3, the strip 15 is narrowed adjacent its connection to the lid 12 to provide a breaking point area 17 and a gripping tongue 18 is located on each side of such area.

The invention is not to be confined to :any strict conformity to the showings in the drawings but changes or modifications may be made therein so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-part closure of synthetic material for a neck providing a filler and discharge opening for a container, comprising an annular collar for attachment on the neck and engageable with a groove behind an annular projection on the neck, a lid, a hinge strip connected to the outside of the collar and to the lid so that the lid can be swung to engage the collar and close the neck, a safety ring constituting a seal for the lid, a second strip extending from the side of the lid opposite the hinge stripe connected to the safety ring whereby said ring can be swung to engage the neck, and complemental locking surfaces on the lower end of the collar and upper end of the ring, respectively, engageable when the ring has been swung to engage the neck.

2. The closure as claimed in claim 1 in which said safety ring is provided with an inner conical face adapted to engage a complementary surface on the neck adjoining the annular projection and an annular face on the References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,991,913 7/1961 Goth.

FOREIGN PATENTS 377,212 6/ 1964 Switzerland.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner.

20 D. F. NORTON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MULTI-PART CLOSURE OF SYNTHETIC MATERIAL FOR A NECK PROVIDING A FILLER AND DISCHARGE OPENING FOR A CONTAINER, COMPRISING AN ANNULAR COLLAR FOR ATTACHMENT ON THE NECK AND ENGAGEABLE WITH A GROOVE BEHIND AN ANNULAR PROJECTION ON THE NECK, A LID, A HINGE STRIP CONNECTED TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE COLLAR AND TO THE LID SO THAT THE LID CAN BE SWUNG TO ENGAGE THE COLLAR AND CLOSE THE NECK, A SAFETY RING CONSTITUTING A SEAL FOR THE LID, A SECOND STRIP EXTENDING FROM THE SIDE OF THE LID OPPOSITE THE HINGE STRIPE CONNECTED TO THE SAFETY RING WHEREBY SAID RING CAN BE SWUNG TO ENGAGE THE NECK, AND COMPLEMENTAL LOCKING SURFACES ON THE LOWER END OF THE COLLAR AND UPPER END OF THE RING, RESPECTIVELY, ENGAGEABLE WHEN THE RING HAS BEEN SWUNG TO ENGAGE THE NECK. 